Mary Keitany Smashes Race Record In Lisbon

Kenya's Mary Keitany broke her own half-marathon course record last weekend in Portugal. Photo: IAAF

She took a full minute off her own mark.

Kenya's Mary Keitany broke her own half-marathon course record last weekend in Portugal. Photo: IAAF

World half-marathon record holder Mary Keitany, also this year’s London Marathon champion, is on a roll. At last weekend’s RTP Portugal Half Marathon in Lisbon, the Kenyan broke her own course record, running 1:07:54. Keitany, who broke the world half-marathon record in February at the Ras Al Khaimah, ran most of the race unopposed.

Her time on Sunday was nearly a full minute faster than her own course record (1:08:50).

The conditions for the race were hardly idea with temperatures 26 ºC (nearly 79 degrees Fahrenheit). Keitany is now setting her sights on the ING New York City Marathon this November.

The 2009 winner of the Lisbon race, Helena Kiprop, came in second 1:03 behind Keitany. This year’s Boston Marathon champion, Caroline Kilel, was third.

In the men’s race, Silas Sang broke the tape in 1:01:13. Sang is the current course-record holder.

“I’m very happy to be here for the fourth time and win for the third,” he said. “From 16th kilometre I began to narrow the distance to the front of the race and then went on.”

Duncan Larkin

Duncan Larkin is a freelance journalist and author who’s been covering the sport of running for over a decade. He’s run 2:32 in the marathon and won the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race in 2007. He wrote the book RUN SIMPLE, and coaches runners of all abilities.
You can learn more about him here: http://roadsmillslaps.tumblr.com/about